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Council to decide on 2010 tax exemptions

by Andrew Zwicker on 01 Sep 2010
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Council to decide on 2010 tax exemptions

Ringo Starr may not have been a Rosslander, but he sure seems to have gotten the sentiment that allows our little city of 3,200 some-odd fine folks punch well above its weight when it comes to our quality of life. Indeed Rossland is a City in which service groups, organizations and societies get by...with a little help from their friends.

In a committee of the whole meeting last week, council discussed this year’s crop of groups applying for permissive municipal tax exemptions.
 
There are two types of tax exemptions allowed under the Community Charter: general statutory exemptions under section 220 of the community charter cover a host of exemptions including such items as places of worship, cemeteries, sewage treatment plants and hospitals; in the case of hospitals and churches, however, just the land situated immediately under the building is exempt from taxes.
 
Permissive tax exemptions, which were on the COW meeting agenda on Monday night, allow a council (by bylaw in accordance with section 224 of the Community Charter) to exempt land or improvements or both as referred to in the Charter from city taxes.
 
In 2009 Rossland City Council established a policy which establishes an application process and eligibility criteria for granting permissive tax exemptions to community groups in Rossland. This year 11 applicants applied for total tax roll exemptions of $29,657. If exemptions are granted this money is not lost revenue to the city as it is made up and shared among the remaining taxable properties.
 
This year’s applicants were:
(listed as: Society, tax assessment, tax exemption)
  • Rossland Childcare Society – $327,000 - $1,929
  • Rossland Light Opera Players – $155,800 -  $1,572
  • Rossland Health Care Auxiliary Society -  $187,200 - $1, 889
  • Royal Canadian Legion - $155,700 -  $1,571 and a second assessment  of $219,200 -$1,293
  • Roman Catholic Parish of Nelson $487,700- $2,877
  • Roman "Catholic Parish of Nelson $256,400 - $1,513 And $126,500 - $ 746
  • United Church of Canada -$495,800 - $2,925
  • Rossland Congregation of Jehovah's Witness - $344,900 - $2,035
  • Rossland Swimming Pool Society $173,000 - $1,745 and $131,000 - $ 773
  • Golden City Manors Society -$843,000 - $4,974
  • MFA Leasing (Emcon lot)-Washington St. $378,100 - $3,815
MUNICIPAL TAX TOTAL $29,657
 
Through the Committee of the Whole process, the recommendation was made that City Council, in their next regular council meeting, approve all of the tax exemptions as applied for apart from the Royal Canadian Legion’s Class 6 property for $1,571 application and the Class 1 application for $1,513 by the Roman Catholic Church. This portion of the Royal Canadian Legion’s application was also denied last year due to commercial activities taking place on the property. In the case of the Catholic Church's application, the manse is currently not being used for church activities and thus was not included.

Comments

clarification

by Kathy Wallace on 20 Sep 2010 at about 07:38.
MFA is the Municipal Finance Authority (a provincial body unique to BC that provides financial support to BC communities) - as they are the leaseholder on the lot and named on title, the Emcon Lot is included in the list for Permissive Tax Exemption. Otherwise for city owned properties - Miners' Hall, Arena,etc - used for city purposes, the city does not collect taxes from itself. The city does not own the Golden City Manor. I hope this answers your questions. A reminder - if you have a bothersome question with no answer, you can contact a council member or a staff person. We are accessible and helping community members understand the sometimes strange intricacies of governance is part of our jobs. respectfully Kathy

I forgot the city owned the

by Allyson Kenning on 08 Sep 2010 at about 07:40.
I forgot the city owned the lot...I wonder what would have happened if I complained of noise bylaw violations there over the summer?

MFA Leasing

by Gravity on 07 Sep 2010 at about 21:07.
Who is MFA leasing and why should they qualify for a tax exemption?

MFA / The Emcon lot is owned

by Andrew Zwicker on 08 Sep 2010 at about 07:29.

MFA / The Emcon lot is owned by the city themselves, so they exempt it from tax rather than paying tax to themselves.

Rossland Child Care Society is on city owned property

by concerned citizen on 19 Sep 2010 at about 12:29.
So MFA is city owned and they apply for tax exemption on their own behalf. Wouldn't that set a precadent? Why the double standard in that RCCS has to apply on their behalf? Why isn't the Senior's Building near Spokane and First also on the the application list but Golden City Manor is? And finally, who pays the tax on the Miner's Hall? Is it the "for profit" businesses that lease space from them who pay the tax bill? Nonprofit and/or charitable organizations, run and/or governed by volunteers have to find the reources to go through the annual process of applying for exemptions. It is my opinion that this just adds further burdens on the givers of society. We need full disclosure on all property owned by the city, who occupies it, and who pays the taxes.